Oh lord – you know you are heading into the deeper parts of middle age when your siblings start to hit their 60’s, which is just what my oldest brother has just done. His eldest kids (ok so they are both in their early 30’s now so hardly kids), organised a surprise party and asked…
Category: Cake
Layered Mousse Cake 2 Ways – with lots of trouble
There are times in baking when trying something new, that you are stretched that little bit too much. For New Year’s Eve I decided to make another of Maren Lubbe’s (of Malus Köstlichkeiten) fabulous wonders, a Whisky and Chocolate mousse cake encased in stripy joconde sponge topped off with chocolate mirror glaze. The stripy…
Gooseberry and Thyme Syrup Cake – a rare treat
What on earth happened to the Gooseberry, one of the quintessentially British summer fruits? It was a staple of my childhood and used to always be in the shops at this time of the year. But over the last 20 years it has virtually disappeared from all but the larger Waitrose stores and completely from most…
Chocolate and Orange Layer Cake – a lesson in German Buttercream
What do you do when make too much cake and you have left overs. Well normally in the UK we break it all up and make a delicious alcohol soaked Trifle. However I made a Gateau Fraisier last week and I made far too much sponge and having sliced off the 2cm of sponge I…
A Gateau Fraisier for a Garden Party
Strawberry season is definitely here with a bang and strawberries in season taste so much better than the imported variety bought out of season and they are quintessentially part of the British summer. However it is the French who turn the humble strawberry into a work of culinary art with the Gateau Fraisier, which sounds so…
Ottolenghi’s Orange and Almond Syrup Cake – a Birthday Treat
Well it has been a long time since I blogged. The last few months have been dreadful and I have had little time or inclination to sit down and write. But it is time to get back in the saddle. (Cue slightly strange pictures depicting said saddle getting) Firstly though I will give you a feel…
The Cottage Loaf 